Kazakhstan’s Aktau city named ECO Tourism Capital for 2030

The 7th Ministerial Meeting on Tourism of the Economic Cooperation Organization was held in Shusha, bringing together tourism ministers and delegations from member states to discuss regional cooperation and development.

Held as part of "Shusha - ECO Tourism Capital for 2026", the meeting brought together tourism ministers and delegations of ECO member states, News.Az reports, citing AZERTAC.

In his remarks, Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, described the hosting of the ECO events in Shusha as of special symbolic importance, noting that the city has been selected as one of the leading tourism destinations of Azerbaijan thanks to its rich cultural and historical heritage.

Fuad Naghiyev emphasized that the ECO member states account for a significant part of tourists visiting Azerbaijan, adding that this interest stems from the shared historical, cultural, and ethnic ties between the two countries.

Speaking at the meeting, Asad Majeed Khan, ECO Secretary General, underlined that applying sustainable approaches, enhancing cooperation on tourism education, more actively involving the private sector in the process and implementing joint initiatives contribute to the development of tourism in the region.

Discussions highlighted the potential for diversifying tourism and promoting ecotourism through the development of regional routes.

The meeting participants approved the outcomes of 9th meeting of the High-Level Expert Group on Tourism.

One the key outcomes of the meeting was the adoption of the “Shusha Declaration”, which outlines future priorities for cooperation in the field of tourism among the ECO member states.

During the meeting, Kazakhstan's Aktau city was selected as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2030.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada